Counterfeit Forever Stamps

Bob Hatch · June 2021

The are many listings on eBay currently for rolls of 100 Forever stamps listed at heavy discounts below face (some under $10,00 with free shipping). I can almost guarantee you that all of these are counterfeit stamps. I can say this because I have purchased rolls from three different sellers recently trying to build my PNC5 collection. Each of the rolls I received was counterfeit. None of the three had plate numbers or UV tagging. One was also missing microprinting, two were improperly sized, etc.
One of the sellers provided me with a full refund with no return and the other two provided pre-paid return labels. I have, of course reported the counterfeit transactions to eBay but the sellers still have multiple active listings on the site.
Your assignment, should you wish to participate, is to purchase one or more of these listings then report the counterfeits to eBay upon receipt/inspection and request a return from the seller. You will get a great bargain on postage if the stamps are real. You will get your money back and help run off the sellers of bogus stamps if they are counterfeit.

https://www.hipstamp.com/store/buybobstamps

John Maloney · June 2021

This is outrageous!
I checked out the listings. Most are labeled, "Manufactured by PCA," and some listings state' "Made in USA."
So, what happens when people who don't realize they're counterfeit, use them on mail?

Michael Generali · June 2021

Counterfeiting of current US stamps like that is a booming business in China. If you obtain any, you should contact either the US Postal Inspectors, or the US Secret Service.

If you know they are counterfeit, I would strongly suggest against using them for postage. If they get rejected by the sorting equipment, you could get a visit from one or both of those agencies.

Rene Bravo · June 2021

As the postal rates continue to increase, the incentive to counterfeit increases because in bulk, there is some real money here. With digital printing technology, the cartoonish simplicity of design these days, and the "sticker" quality productions, it invites these criminals. Can't just overprint Kans. or Nebr. anymore!

Tania Radley · June 2021

Yes I purchased some "bankrupt business stock" GB Machin 1st. Class stamps on eBay recently which turned out to be counterfeit. I reported the seller to ebay and other buyers left counterfeit stamps feedback but eBay still have not taken down these listings.

Bill O'Malley · June 2021

Tania,

You should report eBay to the proper authorities. They have been allowing counterfeit items for years and they do not care as long as they make money.

Bob Hatch · June 2021

I followed up my initial purchases with 4 more from "different" eBay sellers. All the stamps were counterfeit. All stamps were shipped from JOBSS TECH, 1520 Stafford Street, City of Industry, CA. I have reported the counterfeits to eBay and expect full refunds in accordance with their policy. Unfortunately, eBay has taken no action to remove the counterfeits from their site.

I filled out an on-line report with the Postal Inspection Service this morning. Surprisingly, they did not list counterfeits as a pull down default reporting issue. I'll have to wait and see what happens.

It appears that the only way to run these bad actors off eBay is to make it unprofitable for them to operate. I once again invite you to make a purchase, then report the counterfeits and request a refund. Negative feedback is also appropriate.

Counterfeits are not valid for postage - DO NOT USE THESE STAMPS ON YOUR MAIL - they are, however, listed in the Scott Catalogue and should have some collectible value as counterfeits.

https://www.hipstamp.com/store/buybobstamps

Rene Bravo · June 2021

If you find that address, it's the Sheriff's Department..SO it's total scam. You'd think by taking a few steps that take literally seconds to accomplish that eBay would respond? You learn quite a bit about online platforms that fail to do the simple things once fraudulent/ illegal activity is detected. In this case , just googling the address clues you in. Shame.

Bob Hatch · July 2021

OOOPS. There is a typo in the address I posted above. The street number is actually 15250. It is a warehouse in an industrial park. They may be drop shipping these stamps for unwitting eBay sellers, but it seems clear to me that they are simply using multiple eBay user names to transact their fraud. If you receive stamps from this address be sure to check for tagging and plate number. Genuine stamps will have both.
FYI, the counterfeits I received are listed on pages 1037 and 1038 of the 2021 Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps.

Michael Generali · July 2021

To report counterfeiting, you have to report it to the Secret Service. A report to the US Postal Inspectors helps too, but the Secret Service investigates all counterfeiting.

Bob Hatch · July 2021

Good News. eBay has removed all of the heavily discounted lots of Forever stamps and at least one of the seller user names I reported has been NARU'd (Not A Registered User). Perhaps others will follow.

I also see that another user left negative feedback for two of the sellers I dealt with because he/she also received counterfeit stamps. If that was someone from the HipStamp community, you have my thanks.

Apparently eBay will take action if we do our part to report fraud when we see it.

Case closed.... for now

Steven Wilner · July 2021

Well I guess I got scammed. Someone back in June told me I should look at EBAY and pick up some forever stamps at a discount before the rate go up soon. I was skeptical when I saw the roll for less than $10.00. I got the roll and just put it in a drawer and did not look at it until I just happened to see this post now. A few weeks agoo - I was trying to leave my normal feedback for the item and it showed that the item was removed from EBAY - so now I know why. Is the post office on the look out for these stamps ? They seem so authentic to me ?

George DeKornfeld · July 2021

See Wayne Youngblood's article on these in the latest issue of 'Stamp Collector & Dealer.'

Bob Hatch · July 2021

OMG!! JOBSS TECH just had the balls to send me an email that they have moved their operation to Shopify:

"Dear friends. Thank you for purchasing stamps in our eBay store. Currently, eBay officially prohibits us from selling on the eBay platform. We are clearing the sale on the shopify website. $29.99/Roll of 100 Stamps."

Guess I'll have to run them off that site as well.

How come the Feds can't deal with these crooks? No wonder postal rates are rising.

Rene Bravo · July 2021

I think we are the only group upset at this...in the scheme of the big picture, LEOs really go after the big victim criminals ( drugs, human trafficking, weapons dealing, violent gangs ). Those faking first class postage are usually "little guy" criminals, so they won't get a "task force" quite yet. Plus, it's the rookie agents who get assigned this portfolio..."hey newbie, here's the fake postage stamp folder, put your coffee down and go get 'em champ!" . That's life.

George DeKornfeld · July 2021

That's why we have Postal Inspectors...

Ted Tyszka · July 2021

Put a postal clerk on the case. They love to feel the thickness of your envelope to see if it requires the package rate, and to interrogate you to make sure your media mail qualifies as such. I’m sure they can find a Barney Fife to go after these guys.

Scott Payton · July 2021

Well, eBay have taken the approach that if they take listings down, they don't make money. They would rather you say nothing, and let it keep going so they continue to make money. They are a terrible site, and after so many draconian changes, we finally left just a few weeks ago, and have happily found a home here. (eBay seller since 1994).

Back in the mid-2000's they had a good fraud program, which I along with several others (like Bill Weiss if you ever encountered him or his certs), worked to keep eBay a safer place for buyers and rid of the scourge of such counterfeits and fakers. (The biggest was a guy named Ryle who took us about 4 years to get prosecuted out of Europe). Shortly after we got him out, eBay dropped their anti-fraud program, and ended the teams ability to stop fraudulent listings (it was a long slow process but eventually they killed us all off). It went downhill fast from there.
I'm surprised they took these listings down at all. It means most likely they got a call from one of the aforementioned agencies about it, and (sorry to break your bubble), most likely that is what resulted in getting the listings removed... not any activity demonstrated by the community. eBay have a policy of not listening to their users...
In any case, buyer beware.

Counterfeit Forever Stamps

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